The depiction of princesses in popular media has come a long way from towers and predictable romances. From historical dramas to animated fantasies, television princesses cross genres and boundaries. Gone is the young woman who only serves as window dressing.
From Ciri in The Witcher to Princess Azula in Avatar: The Last Airbender, these princesses make an impact on the viewer with their fearless fighting, whether in a physical battle or devising a plan to protect others. Not all these princesses are born royal, and not all of them work for good. Regardless of the odds, these ladies don’t back down.
Princess Cirilla of Cintra (The Witcher)
Barely a teenager, Cirilla is the last of her line, having witnessed the invasion and destruction of her kingdom. Yet, she doesn’t let her age or lack of training stand in the way of fending for herself. She has been orphaned, witnessed violence and flat-out genocide, and been personally attacked.
Though she has innate magical power, she can’t yet control it. Determined to learn to fight, she is brave and stubborn throughout The Witcher. Ciri’s decision to train with Witchers might end in many bruises, but she can definitely hold her own.
Princess Isabella of Avila (Galavant)
When Isabella asks for help reclaiming her kingdom, she appears to both Galavant and the audience as a standard royal princess, not particularly distinctive. Yet, being underestimated is a talent she cultivates in Galavant. It is revealed that Isabella successfully evaded capture for months and has agreed to trick Galavant in exchange for her parents’ lives.
She is handy with a sword but understands the value of diplomacy. Faced with homelessness for her people, she gives up her own freedom rather than let them suffer. And, she does all of this while singing in a beautiful voice.
Princess Azula of the Fire Nature (Avatar: The Last Airbender)
Azula is not nice, but she is fierce. Having been raised by an abusive father who expects nothing less than perfection, she has put her feelings and empathy aside. Her nation is not in the right, but she leads it with strength, and her physical agility is one of Azula’s best qualities.
Azula can not only firebend; she is one of only five who can lightingbend, and one of only three who can produce her own lighting. She is a force to be reckoned with, and one of Aang’s most formidable foes in Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Emma Swan (Once Upon A Time)
Though she grew up in the ‘real’ world, Emma is a certified princess and one of the best characters in Once Upon a Time. As a child, she learned quickly to protect herself physically and emotionally in foster care. She chases down and restrains a bad guy in her first scene, establishing her physical abilities.
Once she accepts her identity as the Savior who will break the curse, she picks up additional training in sword fighting and magic and even learns the power of friendship. Even though she struggles to feel loved, she is the product of true love, and able to be a magical conduit of that love to break spells and save the world a few times.
Scorpia (She-Ra And The Princesses Of Power)
The daughter of the one royal family that immediately surrendered to the Horde, Scorpia is a loyal soldier, trained to destroy the rebellion. However, it quickly becomes clear that Scorpia doesn’t have a malicious bone (or claw) in her body.
She protects her friends, especially Catra, on whom she has a crush. A brawler, she is not much of a critical thinker, but when she realizes that the Horde is hurting Eternia and Catra has gone over the edge, she joins the rebellion. It may have taken her a while, but she ultimately works for good, helping to save the world with the other princesses.
Princess Catherine of Spain and England (The Spanish Princess)
Based heavily on real-life, Catherine was raised by a mother who fought on the front lines nearly her whole life. From the start, The Spanish Princess makes it clear that Catherine follows that example. Highly educated, cultured, and cunning when she deals with court politics, Catherine is a Renaissance woman.
She holds her own in a sword fight with the future Henry VIII. Eventually, as his wife, she leads English troops into battle, in armor specially made to accommodate her pregnancy. Her fearless actions prove she is not a leader in name only but is willing to fight for England and its people.
Princess Eska of the Northern Water Tribe (The Legend of Korra)
In the Avatar universe, it seems like anyone born into a royal family has at least a 50/50 chance of becoming a power-hungry despot. Eska and her twin, Desna, haven’t taken after their father, yet, but they do have an air of menace about them. Eska, one of The Legend of Korra‘s most underrated characters, is eerily quiet, communicating in silent glances and dry, clipped observations.
Accustomed to being obeyed, she expects absolute loyalty from Bolin, whom she claims as her fiancé. When Bolin tries to break things off, Eska’s excellent waterbending skills are put on display, and even Korra panics from underestimating her.
Amanda Klein (American Princess)
Jenji Kohan’s Amanda in American Princess is a figurative princess raised with many privileges. Her mother makes it clear that Amanda’s beauty and ability to marry well are her only valuable qualities. When she catches her fiancé cheating, her instinctive fighting spirit kicks in, and she retreats to the shelter of a Renaissance Festival.
As she starts thinking for herself, Amanda shows a willingness to push back against authority, even having an epic mud pit battle with the festival queen. As princess of the fair, she has a whole court to back her when she finally stands up to her mother and works to redefine herself.
Bo (Lost Girl)
Bo is royalty on both sides of her family, and though she never claims the title in Lost Girl, she is a unique figure of authority in the Fae world. Being the first fae to not choose either light or dark magic, she walks her own path, helping any fae or humans who need her. She doesn’t back down despite attempts on her life from both sides.
As a succubus, she has the magical power to drain life force, but most of the time she uses her fists, showcasing her ability to win battles without relying on magic. Bo also breaks the traditional mold by being one of the first television lead television characters to be bisexual, fighting prejudice beyond the show.
Xena (Xena: Warrior Princess)
Xena was one of the first female leads who was also an action hero, paving the way for others. It is hinted in the episode “The Furies” that Xena may be Ares’s daughter. But whether or not that is true, Xena is royalty when comes to kicking butt.
She reformed herself from her warlord past and works to help people all over the ancient world with Gabrielle at her side (their romantic relationship was practically text, and challenged heteronormativity in the mid-1990s). She faced demons, gods, and her own past, triumphing over each. Her physical, mental, and emotional strength raised the bar for princesses and made her a household name.
